Latest news with #UniversityofEastAnglia
Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Scientists say they may have found a way to extend human lifespan
For decades, scientists have been trying to find a way to extend human lifespan, and while studies have shown that select lab animals can live longer by eating less, they haven't conducted these studies on humans. A century-old study on lab rats has shown that mice who eat less often outlive their fed counterparts, but it can be almost impossible for most humans to follow a permanent diet. However, a new study by the School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, claims that a combination of FDA-approved drugs that mimic the effects of dieting might be the answer to a longer life. The two drugs – Rapamycin and Metformin are known to extend the lifespan of mice as much as up to 30 per cent. Rapamycin, which was first found in the 1970s in bacteria living on the Easter Island soil, has been traditionally used as a powerful immunosuppressant to prevent organ-transplant rejection. The drug works by disabling a particular switch which is used to inform cells when a cell has an abundance of nutrients. As for Metformin, it is a synthetic compound that is found in French Lilac or Goat's Rue, which doctors prescribe to control sugar levels in type 2 diabetes. Since both of these drugs are used to sense the nutrient and energy levels in the human body, biologists wanted to see if the combination of these drugs could have the same effect as eating less. To know more about their effects, scientists say they examined thousands of existing studies and came across 167 studies that focused on eight vertebrate species, like fish and monkeys, which offered them a detailed insight into how these drugs affected animals. Out of three strategies that help with longevity, eating less, taking Rapamycin and consuming Metformin, scientists say the most dependable way to increase the lifespan is to eat less, irrespective of the animal's sex. They also noted that the second most effective strategy to increase lifespan was to take Rapamycin, while Metformin had no substantial effect. However, scientists did say that the effect of Rapamycin on animals wasn't consistent, as, in some cases, studies have shown that eating less or taking Rapamycin reduced an animal's lifespan. Another thing to note here is that most of these positive effects were on mice and rats, which have genes similar to humans but are not exactly the same. And since Rapamycin does come with some side effects, like reduced immunity, scientists are now trying to see if lower doses of the drug offer some advantages without the side effects. According to an ongoing Rapamycin trial on humans, it was noted that lower doses of the drug might help increase the lifespan. But, as of now, the trial is still in progress and will take a few years before the results are out.
Morocco World
6 days ago
- General
- Morocco World
My Experience of Taking Shahada, Joining the Moroccan Ummah
Rabat – My name is Iskandar; I am a British Muslim revert from Norwich. I fell in love with Allah and Islam during my A Levels, and I have deeply appreciated the chance to become involved with the global religious community . I first reverted to my new faith, and took the Shahada, while I was studying Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Exeter, but due to the fact that I struggled to learn Arabic I later moved to the University of East Anglia. Knowing that I was going to come to do an internship at Morocco World News, I reverted for a second time at Cambridge Central Mosque in Cambridge. Upon arriving in Morocco, I immediately noticed the strong religious community around me. The country is 99% Muslim with most of its citizens being followers of the faith. I first discussed taking the Shahada with my program director Ali at MCAS Arabic, and he informed me that it would be possible to take the Shahada and revert to Islam in Morocco. I felt that to take the Shahada again in a Muslim-majority nation would be a wonderful way to reaffirm my faith. The mosque that I visited to perform the Shahada was the Sidi Mohammed Laghmari Masjid, located near the Restaurant De La Liberation on Mohammed V Avenue. When I entered the Masjid, I decided to wear the traditional Moroccan clothing of the djellaba as well as a 'Tarbouch' hat, as a sign of respect for Moroccan culture. When I was welcomed into the Masjid, I immediately noticed the Islamic architecture and the ornate designs of the building's interior. I entered the Masjid removing my shoes and placing them along with my bag on the edge of the Musalla. I then went to the location of the Wudu basin to perform the ablution. I felt cleansed and refreshed ready to perform the Jummah. The midday Jummah prayer began at around 1:30 p.m., with the Islamic Qur'anic recitation being performed through the Masjid speakers. I sat in the direction towards the Qiblah in Mecca, the centre of spiritual Islam. The Imam then came to the Mihrab to perform their Khutbah. I do not understand Arabic, but I feel it is one of the most beautiful languages in the world. While I might not have understood the words, my heart filled with love and appreciation for Allah as I took part in the prayer. My program host Ali introduced me to a number of important people within the Masjid, including the Nazir and the Imam. Both were extremely kind and welcoming and accepted me because of shared faith. The Nazir is the caretaker of the Masjid and its religious position. The Imam is the spiritual leader who leads the prayer and delivers the sermons. After we had performed Jummah I was invited to the front of the congregation. I was supported by a translator, and I took the Shahada, delivering my declaration of faith as I repeated after the Imam, 'There is no God, but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.' As I performed the Shahada I was filled with joy from Allah's greatness and love for me. In front of the congregation, I then confirmed my new Islamic name, 'Iskandar'. Many of the congregation then came to greet me into the Ummah as a fellow brother of faith. This was an incredibly important religious declaration as I formally renewed my pledge of faith to Allah and joined the Moroccan Ummah. As I am going to be in Morocco over the next few months, I would like to become further integrated into the Islamic community performing prayers in Moroccan Masjids and meet fellow brothers and sisters. I arrived in Morocco the weekend before the religious holiday and celebration Eid Al Adha, and I took my Shahada in the corresponding Jum'ah, Friday prayer. I was able to attend the Eid prayers, a practice I now have in common with the fellow Moroccan citizens. I feel privileged and honored to have taken part in such a spiritual and meaningful commitment to Islam . Tags: IslamMoroccan UmmahReligion
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
How optical illusions are illuminating vital medical research
New York — At the Museum of Illusions in New York City, around every corner is a wonder for the eyes. There's a vase that's a face, art that moves with you, and a room that seems to go on forever. It's a funhouse for our perceptions, built for the TikTok age. But the visual tricks are windows into how the mind works, and they fascinate scientists. "The brain uses all the information it can get to figure out what's in front of it," Dr. Martin Doherty, a psychology professor at the University of East Anglia in England, told CBS News. Doherty has studied one particular puzzle for years called the Ebbinghaus illusion, an optical illusion which shows how size perception can be manipulated using surrounding shapes. "The illusion works by using context to mess around with your perception," Doherty explains. Doherty long thought that everyone saw the Ebbinghaus illusion the same way. But in a study published in March in the journal Scientific Reports , he and his colleagues found that radiologists who have years of training to ignore visual distractions actually see the image differently and accurately. In the study, researchers tested 44 experts in "medical image interpretation" — radiographers and radiologists — against a control group of nonexperts consisting of psychology and medical students. They found that the experts were "significantly less susceptible to all illusions except for the Shepard Tabletops, demonstrating superior perceptual accuracy." "According to the theory, that shouldn't happen," Doherty said. "It shouldn't be possible. No previous research has shown that you can learn to see through them." One other group has also been shown to solve the illusion, young children. But that ability goes away after age 7, Doherty said. "We think that's because it takes time to learn to integrate context into your perception," Doherty said. It's evidence of the deep abilities of a trained brain. But for most of us, illusions are proof of our limitations. "When you see these visuals, it's just like your brain just starts going crazy," museumgoer Kevin Paguay said. It's also a reminder that you cannot always believe what you see. Video shows Air India plane crashing in Ahmedabad Air India plane crashes shortly after takeoff, carrying more than 240 people Judge denies Mahmoud Khalil's request for release from ICE detention
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
How optical illusions are illuminating vital medical research
New York — At the Museum of Illusions in New York City, around every corner is a wonder for the eyes. There's a vase that's a face, art that moves with you, and a room that seems to go on forever. It's a funhouse for our perceptions, built for the TikTok age. But the visual tricks are windows into how the mind works, and they fascinate scientists. "The brain uses all the information it can get to figure out what's in front of it," Dr. Martin Doherty, a psychology professor at the University of East Anglia in England, told CBS News. Doherty has studied one particular puzzle for years called the Ebbinghaus illusion, an optical illusion which shows how size perception can be manipulated using surrounding shapes. "The illusion works by using context to mess around with your perception," Doherty explains. Doherty long thought that everyone saw the Ebbinghaus illusion the same way. But in a study published in March in the journal Scientific Reports , he and his colleagues found that radiologists who have years of training to ignore visual distractions actually see the image differently and accurately. In the study, researchers tested 44 experts in "medical image interpretation" — radiographers and radiologists — against a control group of nonexperts consisting of psychology and medical students. They found that the experts were "significantly less susceptible to all illusions except for the Shepard Tabletops, demonstrating superior perceptual accuracy." "According to the theory, that shouldn't happen," Doherty said. "It shouldn't be possible. No previous research has shown that you can learn to see through them." One other group has also been shown to solve the illusion, young children. But that ability goes away after age 7, Doherty said. "We think that's because it takes time to learn to integrate context into your perception," Doherty said. It's evidence of the deep abilities of a trained brain. But for most of us, illusions are proof of our limitations. "When you see these visuals, it's just like your brain just starts going crazy," museumgoer Kevin Paguay said. It's also a reminder that you cannot always believe what you see. Video shows Air India plane crashing in Ahmedabad Air India plane crashes shortly after takeoff, carrying more than 240 people Israel ready to launch operation into Iran, U.S. officials say
Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I'm a 72-year-old student. Labour shouldn't pull the plug on university loans'
Carole Taylor is preparing to start her second year of university in September. But she's not a typical student – she's 72. 'I've been retired. It's quite boring,' she says. 'You join things, I am an avid joiner of things, and nothing is very important because everybody is on the retirement wheel. It very quickly descends into talking about health problems.' The grandmother-of-two is studying English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. To fund her tuition fees, Taylor has taken out a student loan. Currently, a year's tuition for a student in England is £9,250, but this is set to rise in September to £9,535. But from 2027, students like her – those aged over 60 – will no longer be able to take out government-backed loans to cover their university fees. Taylor hopes that she will be able to finish her degree before that, but says she's frustrated for others who won't get the same opportunity. 'It's just very hard to think of them stopping it. Don't pull the plug on us! 'We're a learning, growing, thriving group of people who don't want to be consigned to the care system just yet.' 'I didn't enter into it thinking I have a freebie' Last year, more than 1,000 students over the state pension age of 66 borrowed from the Student Loans Company (SLC) to cover their fees, data provided to The Telegraph under Freedom of Information rules revealed. More than 3,800 students over the age of 60 took out loans, with 1,824 also taking out maintenance loans. Since 2020, 18,127 loans have been taken out by students over the age of 60. Around £20bn a year is loaned to 1.5 million students, according to a briefing by the House of Commons. The value of outstanding loans is forecast to hit £500bn by the late 2040s, government predictions show. They are only repaid once the graduate earns over a certain threshold, which is currently £25,000. The outstanding loan is then wiped out either 30 or 40 years after the degree is finished – depending on when the student started. For older students, this means that loans are often not repaid at all. The outstanding loan balance for those aged over 60 is close to £50m, according to the SLC. The 'Lifelong Learning Entitlement' will replace the existing higher-education funding system and will provide all new learners with a tuition fee loan entitlement to the equivalent of four years of post-18 education. But tuition fee loans for those aged over 60 will be specifically banned. Taylor left school at 16 and went to work for the gas board with her mother, before moving to Norwich and having her children. She did a foundation year before starting her degree because she didn't have A-levels, so she has already been studying for two years. She planned to do a master's degree, if she could afford it, once she had finished her undergraduate studies. But she won't get any government funding to do it because people aged over 60 are not eligible for student loans to fund postgraduate courses. She says: 'I never entered into it thinking, 'Oh great, I've got a freebie, I don't have to pay this back.'' Taylor says that she has a plan to repay her loans. Having lost her son Jonathan to addiction, she did a counselling course in 2009, and then did voluntary work in prisons. She wants to create a series of books for children of prisoners and addicts. Existing schemes allow prisoners to record video messages of themselves reading books for their children to play before bed, as she knows from her previous experience in the system. 'I started working in rehab just after he died,' she says. 'It was very, very difficult. It's something that hits you all the time.' Taylor says the work helps her feel close to her son. She's won some funding from the university to help develop her idea further, and she hopes to turn it into a viable business. Paying back loans from their will Currently, student loans are wiped at death. But Taylor suggests that older students might be happy to leave a contribution in their will to pay down their debt – a possibility she thinks hasn't been properly investigated. 'A lot of older students are happy to contemplate paying their tuition loans back in time. I think some people will factor it into their wills,' she says. The septuagenarian says that the studying keeps her active. She walks 45 minutes to campus each morning and she says being around younger students is very rewarding. 'The university has been terrific. They've been very welcoming. I find no problem with younger students, they're all very supportive, very friendly and very open. I feel that, as mature students, we provide an anchor for younger students who are coming into student life and leaving home for the first time,' she says. Professor Ian Pickup, interim deputy vice-chancellor at the Open University, said: 'The decision to end access to tuition fee loans for over 60s from January 2027 will work against the need to help support older adults, particularly those in work, to access education and training to upskill, retrain and update their skills. 'There needs to be further consideration about how to support this cohort in accessing the skills offered by higher education if they are to become unable to access funding via the student finance system at a time when the population is ageing and the country is striving for economic growth.' A Department for Education spokesman said: 'This Government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and boosting economic growth, ensuring we have a workforce with the skills for the 21st century. This includes supporting older students who want to go to university to reskill. 'However, we are also committed to maintaining a sustainable student finance system which is fair to students and to the taxpayer. 'University is not the only option for older learners. Despite the challenging fiscal environment we have inherited, we are spending over £1.4bn in the next financial year on the Adult Skills Fund.'
